Foldable platform structure



Jan. 6, 1953 E. J. KUDRNA FOLDABLE PLATFORM STRUCTURE Filed July 21, 1949 Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE PLATFORM STRUCTURE Emil J. Kudrna, Denver, 0010.

Application July 21, 1949, Serial No. 105,917

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a foldable platform structure, and more particularly to such a structure. for use in inspecting the cargo of refrigerated or other railway freight cars. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use with any particular structure, nor for any particular purpose, and that the same can be used wherever practicable.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a platform structure of mechanically simple construction which can be readily folded into a compact unit and manually carried from one place of use toanother.

Another object of the invention is to provide a platform structure that can be readily assembled and mounted in operative association with any suitable opening in any structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable platform structure including means for enabling the user to ascend thereto and descend therefrom. A

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a foldable platform structure that can be easily and quickly mounted upon a refrigerated or other railway freight car to facilitate cargo inspection. 7

Other obiects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in coniunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable platform structure embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the platform structure shown in Fig. 1 can be associated with a freight car door opening; 1

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the step means for aiding the user in ascending to and descending from the platform can be folded into one of the two platform sections, and the hangers for suspending the platform folded and disposed in the other; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the platform structure showing the same in its completely folded form wherein it assumes the general appearance of a flat suitcase.

'Referring now in detail to the drawings, the

platform is generally identified by the numeral l.

and comprises platform sections 2 and 3, respectively. The platform section 2 includes a substantially rectangular frame 4, which may be formed of bent angle iron, but is preferably made of a lighter metal such as any suitable aluminum or magnesium alloy. The frame 4 has side portions 5 and 6 and end portions 1 and 8, and may be made of one piece with the abutting ends welded, brazed or otherwise permanently secured together for rigidity, as indicated at 4 in Fig. 4. A rectangular sheet 9 of plywood, or any other suitable flooring material is secured to one of the flanges of each of the frame portions 5, 6, I and 8 by screws Ill.

The platform section 3 includes a similar angle metal frame II having side portions 12 and I3 and end portions 14 and I5. A sheet 16 of plywood or other suitable flooring material is secured to one of the flanges of the frame portions l2, l3, l4 and I5 by screw-s IT.

The platform sections 2 and 3, as will be apparent, each resemble half of a conventional suitcase, and are connected together in side-by-side relation by hinges [8 (Figs. 2 and 4) secured in any desired manner to the side portion 6 of the frame 4 and the adjacent side portion l2 of the frame H. The frame ll of the platform section 3 has a hook I9 pivotally mounted upon each of the end portions l4 and I5 thereof by a stud 20. The hooks l9 engage pins 2! mounted upon the end portions 1 and 8 of the frame 4 of the platform section 2 and serve to hold the platform sections together in folded condition when not inv use, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A handle 22 is riveted or otherwise secured to the side 5 of the frame 4 of the platform section 2 to facilitate carrying of the folded platform by the user in suitcase fashion.

The platform sections 2 and 3 are adapted to be opened up for use so that they lie substantially. in a common horizontal plane, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. A pair of guides 23 is secured to each of the end portions 1 and 8 of the frame 4 by means of screws 24. Each of the guides 23 is recessed as indicated at 25 (Fig. 3) to slidably receive a rigid bar 26. Similarly notched guides 21 are mounted upon each of the end portions l4 and 15 of the frame H by screws 28. A thumb screw 29 is threaded into an opening 30 (Fig. 3) formed in each of the rigid bars 26 and serves as a means. for manually advancing and retracting the bars 26 relative to the guides 21. When the bars 2 6 are advanced, as shown in Fig. 1, they enter the notches in the guides 21 and rigidly interconnect the platform sections 2 and 3 and relieve all stress on the hinges I8. locked in their advanced positions by tightening the threaded end of the thumb screws 29 against The bars 26 can be the adjacent end portions 1 and 8 of the frame 4. When the bars 25 are moved to their retracted position, clear or" the guides 21, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, they may be locked in their retracted position by a similar tightening of the thumb screws 29, so that when the platform sections 2 and 3 are folded into the form of a suitcase, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the ends of the bars 26 will not project below the lower side of said suitcase.

The platform sections 2 and 3 are rigid'and strong enough to support the weight of" a man, and the platform section 3 is adapted to have the side portion l3 of the frame I! thereof rest upon the sill 3| (Fig. 2) of afreight car door.

opening 32. Inward movement ofthe platform section 3 is limited by stops 33 fixedly secured to. the frame end portions It and I and which stops engage the sill 3!. It is conventional practice to hang each door 34 of a pair of refrigerator. freight car doors by three hinges, including a middle hinge 35. The present constructiontakes advantage of this arrangement by providinga pair ofihangers 36, each of which comprises two parts 31 and 38, pivotally connected by a pin 39. The free end of each hanger part 3'! is bent laterally and downwardly to provide a hook it for detachableconnection with the center hinges 35 of the doors 34'when said'doors are open. The lateral portions 4! of the hooks. to are adaptedto rest upon the pin bearing portions of the hingestand the downwardly extending portions 42' of. said hooks. are adapted to be disposed between the wings of the hinges iitito hold the hangers in place, as will be readily understood. The free or lowerend of each of'the hanger. parts 33 is provided'with. a plurality of holes 63 for adjustably connecting the same. to theend portions l and. i3 of...the. platform. section 2 by means of thumb screws .44..

The. side portiondofithe frame 4 has a pair. of brackets 45 (Fig 4). riveted or otherwise secured thereto on. theinner side thereof, .and the. endsof agenerally. Ll-shaped. metal step .member..efi. are pivotally. connectedtothebrackets 45 bypins 4?. One: end .ofQa. pair. of stepladder-typebraces 48 is pivotally connectedby pins 45! to the step member 46, and the. opposite. ends of. said braces are pivotally connected-by pins 56. to brackets 51 riveted. or otherwise secured. to theside portion 5 oflthe. frame i. The. step member 46 is. shown. initsextended. position in l. and2 with the braces. 48 holdin said step. member in. said extended. position toaid the. user inascending to the .topofthe platform structure and in descending therefrom. However, the parts of the braces. 48 are. adapted to be collapsed about their point of pivotal connection 52 to permit the step member 46. tobe'folded into. the platform section 2 to assumethe position illustratedin Fig. 4.

The hangers. 36 are adapted to be detached from the platform. section 2 by removing the thumb screws-Hand to be folded about their pivot pins 39 sothat said thumb screws and hangers can be disposed within the platform. section 3 when not in. use, as. is also illustrated in Fig. 4. With the bars. 25 in retracted position, the. platform sections .2 and 3 can then be folded into. confronting. relation and. locked in. their folded position by the hooks. 19, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the. entire. platform structure can be readily transported manually.

The. platform structure described hereinabove. although light in weight and readily portable, provides. a very firm. and rigid platform upon whichtheuser. can stand to inspect the contents of a freight car, or perform any other duty on any other structure with which the platform may be associated. In connection with the latter, it will be understood that the ends of the hangers 36 can be fashioned into other than hook-form, depending upon the character of opening with which the platform is to be associated and the type of fastening means best suited for use with a particular opening.

While one specific embodiment .of the invention has-been disclosed herein; it will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction of the parts thereof without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

, I1claim':v V l. A platform for use in inspecting the cargo ina freight-car; comprising: a pair of platform 'section so that said step member can be altersections disposed side-by-side in alignment in a substantially common horizontal plane; hinge means pivotally interconnecting said platform sections alongthe adjacentedges thereof; said platform sections being adapted to be foldedinto confronting relation when not in use; detachable. connecting means rigidly interconnecting the ends of said platform sections in alignment. in said common plane to eliminate strain on said. hinge means, one of said platform sections. being. adapted to have one end thereof. rest upon the sill of a doorway opening'of a freightcar; a pair of hangers; detachable means securing one end of'each of said hangers to the otherofisaidplate form sections, the other .end of each. of said hangers being adapted to be detachably. connected with said freight car adjacent the sides. of said doorway; a. step member pivotally. sus-.- pended from said other platform. section,..said step member being; extensibleand having; a height less than the widthof. said.other.p1at-.-. form section; a brace connectedlwith-saidstep member and said other platform section. for: maintaining said step member .insaid extended position; and means. carried. by and projecting. downwardly from said. oneplatformsection for. limiting inward movement of. said one.- platform section relative to saiddoorway opening.

2. A foldable platform, comprising: a pair. of platform sections, each of saidplatform sectionsincluding a generally rectangular; frameandta sheet of flooring material securedto said frame; hinge means securing saidpla-tform sections-together; whereby said. platform sections. can'be: folded inwardly into confronting relationship with the sheets of fiooringoutermosttoprovide a closed receptacle; 1 means rigidly interconnecting the ends of said platform sections in alignmentto position the.

flooring sheets ina common horizontalsplane to eliminate strain on said hing means; a pairof hanger members each having one end thereof detachably connected with the same one of said.

platform sections, eachhanger membercomprising two sections connected byv a pivot and.

adapted to be detached and reduced in length .by folding about said pivot. to enable the same to. be stored within at least one of the platform sec.- tions when not in use; av step member; means pivotally mounting said step member. on one of said platform sections, said step member. having a height less than the width of said one platform.

natively received within said one platform. section or swung into an extended .position for service in aiding the user to ascend to or: descend from the floor. of theplatform;.andaabracelcone detachable. connecting nected with said step member and said one platform section for maintaining said step member in said extended position.

3. A foldable platform, comprising: a pair of platform sections, each of said platform sections including a generally rectangular angle frame and a sheet of flooring material secured to a flange of said angle frame; hinge means securing said platform sections together, whereby said platform sections can be folded inwardly into confronting relationship with the sheets of flooring outermost to provide a closed receptacle; detachable connecting means rigidly interconnecting the ends of said platform sections in alignment to position the flooring sheets in a common horizontal plane to eliminate strain on said hinge means; a pair of detachable hanger members each having one end thereof connected with the same one of said platform sections for suspending the platform relative to an opening in a structure, each of said hanger members comprising two sections connected by a pivot and adapted to be detached and reduced in length by folding about its pivot to enable the same to be stored within at least one of the platform sections when not in use; a step member; means pivotally mounting said step member on the frame of one of said platform sections, said step member having a height less than the width of said one plat- 6 form section so that said step member can be alternatively received within said platform section or swung into an extended position for service in aiding the user to ascend to and descend from the floor of the platform; and a brace connected with said step member and said frame of said one platform section for maintaining said step member in said extended position.

EMIL J. KUDRNA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

